Improvement in fire-alarm signal-boxes



J. B. EDSON.

FIRE-ALARM SIGNAL-Box. No. 172,404. Patented Jan.1a,1a7s

0 (D witnesses. fnvenlom N. PETERS. PHOTO-LITHOGRAPHER. WASHKNGTON, l1 C.

UNITED STATES PATENT tlEEiroEa JAEvIs B. EDsoN, OE BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN FIRE-ALARM SIGNAL-BOXES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent N o. 1'72A04l., dated January 18, 1876; application led September 20, 1875.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that L-JARVIS B. EDSON, of

i Brooklyn, in the county ot Kings and State of 4an automatic signal instrument, of areciprocal circuit-closing arm with a stationai y breakin gsurface piece situated outside of the path of the said circuit-closing arm whereby the signals are rendered clear and distinct; also in the combination of a switch with a reciprocating-signal-box, so that by the act of preparing for giving a signal the switch is closed, and when the signal is given the switch is opened.

To obtain an automatic signal box or instrument capable of sending any special signal, number, or combinations of numbers through a wire by means of electric current, so that the same shall be intelligibly recorded, as 011 a Morse or other common form of register, or so vthat the same shall be made audible, as by the use of the sounder, many devices have been made use of to open and close the circuit properly, Vand generally these have had for their motive-power either the weight or the spring, as commonlyr applied in mechanics. When the spring has been used it has been employed to revolve a break-wheel continnallyin one direction, and said break-wheel has necessarily been made much less in diameter than the instrument to which it belongs, so as to admit of the contact-piece or circuitcloser on its periphery and other parts appertaining thereto.

In the above cases the notches or parts of insulation comprising the combination have to be made close together, and so small as frequently to admit of the circuit-closer passing from one to another of the combinations in less time than is required for the magnets to respond and' properly record the signals in full. 'lo lessen this difculty, as well as to provide a simple and cheap signal instrument capable of sending any conventional number, or combination of the same, as signals over a wire to any suitable receiver, recording instrument,

or sounder, are anon g the objects of this invention.

In the drawing, Figure l representsa rear view, when the back-plate otl the case has been taken oi". Fig. 2 is a front view, the

faceplate of the case having been removed.

Like letters represents like parts.

A is any suitable box or case, containing the mechanism, having proper lugs or projections from the sides,.as at B, for securing the same in place. G is a binding-post, forming 'part of the case and one anode; D, an insulated biliding-post, and forming the other anode. E, the insulation for post D; F, breakingsurface causing the signal,and corresponding with the same in number and arrangement of the notches, and also having one long projection before the signal 'for the purpose oi' closing the circuit and releasing or starting the register just before the' signal is to be made. G are insulated posts for supporting the breaking-piece F free from contact with case; H, crank on outside for operating the instrument in giving a signal; I, arbor to which actuating spring and crank H are connected J, actuating or main spring; K, screw for fastening other end of spring J to wheel L. L is a toothed reciprocating retard-Wheel, which, in combination with the anchor or verge M, regulates the speed of the mechanism 5 N, post for verge M and center of oscillation of the same; O, rod and weight forming part of verge M, and designed to be adjustable for regulating speed of same; P, piece attached to wheel L vfor carrying the circuit-closing roller Q; B, rubber or other insulated base for switch S, which is connected to post D; T, point ot' switch shown open, and connected by insulated wire to breaking-surface part F; U, stoppin, for throwing switch out or opening the saine; V, pin for closing or throwing in; W, stoppin for crank H, at rest; X, stoppin for crank H when wound.

Having thus described the various parts, I

v will now proceed to describe their operation.

The instrument here described is anopencircuit one, and designed to be operated by either using a return wire or using the earth for the same, and one wire.-

The ysignal instrument A having been placed in circuit with battery, as above, and con nected toany ordinary register (self-starting) or sounder. is ready for use, and by turning the crank H tothe right as far as it will go, the switch S will be thrown in, when, if

the crank His let go4 by' the operator, it begins to return to its original position against the stop-pin W. Just after starting, the cirt cuit-closer Q comes in contact with the breakrests at the stop W, having just previously,

by means of the pin U, thrown open the switch S, which had previously been closed by the stop-pin V.

In the apparatus represented by the drawing the signal produced by the above opera tion on the register would be composed'of, rst, a dash, followed rst byA four, vthenvby ve, and, finally, by three, dots., thus: making the signal 453.

I do not conne myself to ,securing lthe rehave `hereuntoset my., hand andseal this. 23d .day offAugust, 1875. i

cprocating retard-wheel L to the arbor Lto which the crank is attached, as, by making use of the ratchet and click commonly applied in clocks, and placing the samesecurelyon the arbor, the retard-wheel Lmay be left loose, with the advantage that, when thefcrank H is turned so asto-w-indupthespringJ, the

wheel L will notl be revolved, nor will it beas zslowor, as laborious to Eoperate theinstrunient as when constructed strictly as shown in the drawing.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. llhecombinatiom in ail-electric signal, of a casing, A, a reciprocal circuit-closing arm, a retarding-wheeLL, aspring for operating the same, and astationary breaking-surface fixed within the case outside of the path of the circuit-closing arm, substantially as shown and-described, forthe object specified.

2,. The combination, in an automatic signal instrument, of a case, A, a reciprocal circuitclosing arm, a stationary breakin g-surface fixed within the case outside of thefpathtof-'thecircuitfclosing arm, land anautoin-atic switch, the vWhole constructedsubstantially as. -.desoriued, whereby the act of ,prepari-n g 'to l.gi-vetasignal willl close the switch, and.v thesignal` having been given;thegswitch.y will; be ope n ed,;as set forth.

In testimony that I-A claim` theforegoing I JARVIS B. EDSGN;

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